Bantry 1-12

Carbery 0-8

In a game that promised much it was the Blues of Bantry that delivered, as the much hyped Carbery were dumped unceremoniously out of the Cork County Championship in Dunmanway on Sunday last, September the sixteenth. From the first shrill of the competent J. Geaneys whistle, Bantry got about their divisional opponents in a tenacious and determined manner, quickly running up a score of six swift points to Carberys one. Phillip Clifford shone most prolifically during this initial spell of Blues dominance pointing twice, as fellow Cork senior Eoin Sexton struggled to get to get to grips with him. In midfield Damien o'Neill and Graham Canty dominated, making light of the impressive array of central players at the losers disposal. The plethora of Bantry supporters present in Sam Maguire Park were beginning to ponder the imponderable, the thought that Park Ui Chaomh might yet reserve a place for their team in two weeks time when the incessant flow of Bantry pressure threatened to burst through the hole in the damn.The Carbery full back line were the proverbial Dutchboy trying to stem the tide.Such efforts were to prove futile however, twenty two minutes in, when the excellent Jeremy Canty dispossed cornerback Pat Nolan before unleashing an unstoppable shot, high into the back of the net. Brian o'Sullivan and Pat Connolly added respectibility of sorts to the half-time scoreline with two points leaving the scoreline at the interval: 1-8 to 0-3 in favour of the Blues.

Philip Clifford, Bantry Blues is stopped in his tracks by Carbery players, Sean Levis and Pat Nolan, in the county semi-final in Dunmanway.

Half-time came and went and after some uncharacteristic misses, Bantry were forced on to the defensive.Now boasting Fachtna Collins amongst their line-up,Carbery, having weathered the early second half storm, attacked with the intensity of a blizzard only to be foiled by a series of near misses and in Padraic O'Regan, Padraigh Cremin and Niall Twomey, the Bantry half-back line.The ball came back off the bar, off the post off the outstretched foot of the domineering Des McAuley; but crucially, never off the back of the net. Special mention here has to made of the the cornerstones of the backline;Timmy o'Mahony and Eamon McCarthy, who quietly but effectively nullified the threat of the attacks that went their way. Such profligacy was severely punished as the victors emerged unscathed, save for two frees dispatched by Brian o'Sullivan.

What followed was an exhibition in the art of point scoring, as Paul o'Rourke,Jeremy Canty,Phillip Clifford,Declan Barron and Sean McCarthy all had a significant say in the matches outcome. It was in truth, a disappointing display by a Carbery side that on paper at least appeared to have a side capable of matching the best that club football can produce.Football however, is played on grass and from the first minute to the last, Bantry performed with a grit of steel underlined by a paradoxical level of guile and imagination.

Park ui Chaomh awaits as do the mighty Nemo Rangers, but it would appear that yesterdays performance from a resurgent Bantry side, will give Billy Morgan, Colin Corkery et all, ample food for thought. Bantry:D.McAuley,E.McCarthy,M.o'Conner,T.o'Mahony,P.Cremin,P.o'Regan,N.Twomey,G.Canty,D.o'Neill,G.Barry,

S.McCarthy,P.o'Rourke,D.Barron,P.Clifford,J.Canty. Subs:S.o'Neill for G.Barry,E.Sheehan for D.Barron. Carbery:P.White,P.Nolan,E.Sexton,D.Duggan,T.Deane,J.Whooley,M.Fehilly,M.o'Sullivan,P.Connolly,K.o'Sullivan,M.Cronin,

S.Levis,K.McMahon,P.Hegarthy,B.o'Sullivan. Subs:D.McCarthy for J.Whooley,F.Collins for P.Connolly,J.o'Connell for K.o'Sullivan,S.Hayes for K.McMahon. Referee:J.Geaney(Kilshanning). Scorers for Bantry:J.Canty 1-3,P.Clifford 0-4,S.McCarthy 0-2,P.o'Rourke 0-2,D.Barron 0-1. Scorers for Carbery:B.o'Sullivan 0-4,M.Cronin,D.McCarthy,P.Connolly 0-1 each.

by Aidan Power.